Freedom Tower Raises Standards for Future Design

Almost immediately after the 9/11 tragedy, there was talk of rebuilding. Should we reconstruct the same 110-story building to show that American pride cannot be broken? Is it morally right to build on the burial ground of thousands of people? Is it economically worthwhile to allow such valuable space to remain empty? There seems to be a different solution for each person asked. On July 4, 2004, New York workers laid down the first twenty tons of rock, a mere cornerstone to the project that will soon fill the famous Manhattan skyline where the Twin Towers once stood. When completed, this memorial building is expected to be the tallest skyscraper in the world. “Today we take 20 tons of Adirondack granite — the bedrock of our state — and place it as the foundation, the bedrock of a new symbol of American strength and confidence. Today, we lay the cornerstone for a new symbol of this city and this country and of our resolve in the face of terror,” said New York Governor George Pataki during the opening ceremony, as reported by CNN. The inscription on the cornerstone reads-: “To honor and remember those who lost their lives on September 11th, 2001 and as a tribute to the enduring spirit of freedom — July Fourth 2004.” The skyscraper is expected to be 1,177 feet tall, symbolic of the year America signed the Declaration of Independence. The tower, made of torque glass and steel will also have a 276 foot spire and broadcast antennae, which will bring its total height to over 2,000 feet-making it the largest tower in the world. Hundreds of models were proposed for the site, but the winning idea came from architects David Childs and Daniel Libeskind. The Freedom Tower is a project unprecedented in history. According to the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation -www.renewnyc.com-, “The unique geometrical torque of the building’s tower, located on the northwest corner of the site, gives the tower its asymmetrical form meant to evoke the Statue of Liberty. Its soaring offset spire echoes the profile of the Statue of Liberty’s arm holding the Torch of Freedom.” The building will contain 2,600,000 feet of office space on sixty stories. Glass walls will allow for spectacular views of New York and New Jersey. The base will have lobbies for offices and the public. The top of the building will have restaurants and public observation areas. Tension cables, similar to those found in the Brooklyn Bridge, will be responsible for most of the support. They will also allow for unique lighting. The building will also generate 20% of its own energy from wind-harvesting tubes located inside the building. The LMDC website reports that “as the building develops, it is intended that an artist will collaborate to design the spire with the architects and the engineers, placing a sculpture in the sky.” Concerns over more terrorist attacks have inspired the production crew to take building safety precautions that far exceed the New York City Building Code requirements. Architects have taken into consideration the things that were wrong with the World Trade Center design. Along with the cables, the structure will have extra strong fireproofing, concrete encased elevators, extra wide stairwells, and emergency lighting. More emergency exits with easier access from all floors, and the street, for emergency personnel to enter have also been added. Some say this is more of a target for terrorists, a mark of American ignorance. Others feel that this new symbol represents our undying belief in freedom. Whatever your opinion, what cannot be denied is the fact that the design of the Freedom Tower is setting a precedence of building safety and beauty throughout the world.